“We are all individually unique.”
Starting a new job can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I remember back then, I had always dreamed of working in the Enterprise Centre building in Makati City. Every day, I used to pass by Paseo de Roxas, wondering what it felt like working there.
Eventually, that dream turned into reality.
I came across a job opportunity on D&V Philippines’ LinkedIn page. They were looking for a Financial Analyst, and to my surprise, it aligned with my previous experience as a Finance Manager.
When I finally stepped into the office, it wasn’t what I expected. It was a small space, with just over 10 employees, simple tables, and a pantry.
But what stood out wasn’t the office. It was the people.
Most of my new colleagues back then had strong accounting backgrounds. Many were already experienced, and at that time, I was still finding my footing. I even moved from a managerial role to a junior position, which made me question how I could fit in.
That kind of experience is more common than you think.
Many new hires go through this same feeling of uncertainty, especially during their adjustment period in a new environment like D&V Philippines, where teams support global clients through finance and accounting services. It’s a fast-paced environment, and expectations can feel high but more often than not, that pressure comes from within as you adjust, learn, and want to do well.
At some point, you may find yourself asking:
Am I doing enough?
Can I keep up with the team?
How do I prove that I belong here?
From what I’ve seen, this pressure doesn’t always come from others. Most of the time, it comes from within.
And that’s why it’s important to pause and reset your mindset early on. Before you focus on proving yourself, you must first understand your role, expectations, and how you can grow as you growth through your chosen career path.
Starting a new role often comes with the pressure to perform right away. But from my experience, a strong start is not about doing everything at once. It’s about focusing on the right things early on. Below are some of things you should keep in mind:
The first thing I always tell new hires is to understand why they were hired.
What is expected from you?
What are your main responsibilities?
What does success look like in your role?
These are things that are usually discussed during interviews, so it’s important to go back to that. When you are clear on your role, it becomes easier to stay focused and deliver.
Another common mistake I’ve seen is setting expectations too high at the beginning.
New hires are usually very eager. They come in with a lot of ideas and want to achieve a lot right away. But when things don’t go as planned, they start to feel discouraged.
Don’t rush the process
Give yourself time to adjust
Understand the role before making decisions
It’s important to stay open and allow yourself to grow into the role.
You don’t need to prove everything on your first day, what matters most is your willingness to learn.
Ask questions when something is not clear
Take time to understand the process
Be open to guidance
You don’t always have to compete in the same way as everyone else. Focus on showing what you can do in your own way.
Feedback matters a lot, especially when you’re just starting out in your career. Not everything you hear will be positive, and that’s okay. It doesn’t always mean something is wrong. Most of the time, it’s there to help you grow and be a better version of yourself.
Listen carefully
Don’t take everything personally
Use it as a way to improve
At the end of the day, everything starts with your mindset or how you think about things. This is why you need to:
Be willing to learn
Stay patient with your progress
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Just focus on doing things right and take it one step at a time.
Aside from what I mentioned above, it’s important for new hires to take time to understand their role and the team before trying to take on too much.
From my experience, those who adjust well are the ones who focus on learning first.
In D&V Philippines, we make sure that new hires are supported from the start.
There is structured training, usually around one to two months
You are guided by a buddy or a point person
You also receive support from the client side when learning their processes
This setup is important because each client is different. Taking training seriously helps you build a strong foundation early on.
One thing I always remind new hires is not to rush, they should be able to:
Take time to understand the process
Learn how your team works
Observe how tasks are handled
When you try to do everything too quickly, you might miss important details. It’s better to understand things first before taking action.
For me, asking questions is a very important habit. And as one of an interviewer, I can already tell if someone is genuinely interested based on the questions they ask. The same applies once you are already part of the team.
Don’t hesitate to ask when something is unclear
Use questions to guide your learning
Stay curious about your work
Asking questions helps you learn faster and builds your confidence over time.
There are times when new hires feel like they don’t fit right away. And that’s valid, this is why you must:
Ask questions when you are unsure
Communicate more with your team
Do your own research
Stay patient with your progress
Adjustment takes time. The more you stay engaged and open to learning, the easier it becomes to find your place.
At the end of the day, learning comes before leading. When you take the time to understand your role and your team, you set yourself up for long-term growth.
Aside from learning your role, building relationships is just as important, especially when you are just starting out.
From my experience, even if you are technically skilled, it will be difficult to succeed if you don’t know how to work well with others.
When you are new, it’s important to make an effort to connect with your team.
Get to know your teammates
Be open to collaboration
Don’t isolate yourself
At D&V Philippines, even though the work setup is hybrid, building connections is still important. You may not see each other every day, but staying connected through communication and teamwork makes a big difference.
One of the things that really helps new hires is having a coach or a buddy.
You have someone to go to when you have questions
You get guidance as you learn the process
You don’t have to figure things out on your own
At D&V Philippines, this setup is part of how we support new hires, especially when working with different clients and processes. Having someone guide you makes the adjustment period easier and less overwhelming.
I’ve noticed that some new hires, especially younger professionals, feel intimidated when approaching their managers.
But it’s important to understand that:
Managers are still people
The only difference is their role and they are their to guide you
One practical tip is to be prepared when you approach them, and you should be able to:
Know what you want to say
Organize your thoughts
Be clear and direct
This helps you feel more confident and also shows professionalism.
Part of building good working relationships is learning how to handle feedback.
Not every comment is negative
Most of the time, it’s meant to help you improve
Accept correction professionally
When you are open to feedback, people will find it easier to work with you.
From what I’ve noticed, new hires can already start contributing even while they are still learning. We are all individually unique, and we all think and work differently. Sometimes, a new hire brings a fresh perspective that helps the team see things in a simpler way.
There are cases where a process feels too complicated, and then someone new comes in and suggests a more practical approach. Those moments are valuable because they remind us that learning goes both ways.
Personally, I enjoy working with juniors because they bring new energy and ideas, and at the same time, you get to see their growth. Even if you are still adjusting, you can already add value in simple ways:
Ask questions that help clarify or improve a process
Share your observations when something can be simplified
Offer a different perspective based on how you see things
You don’t need to wait until you know everything. Sometimes, your fresh point of view is already enough to make a difference.
At some point, the focus shifts from just learning and adjusting to becoming a reliable and valuable part of the team.
From what I’ve seen, this doesn’t take years. In fact, there are already signs early on.
There are small things that I pay attention to when I assess new hires:
Being curious and asking questions
Showing genuine interest in the work
Communicating clearly and professionally
Being mindful of how you carry yourself
These may seem simple, but they reflect your willingness to learn and grow.
In many cases, I can already see a person’s potential within the first week. It’s not just about technical skills. It’s more about:
How you think through situations
How you communicate with the team
Sometimes, even after the interview, I continue asking questions. Some of these are meant to understand how you think and how you approach situations. Through that, I can already see if someone is a good fit for the team.
The first six months of a new hire are very important. This is usually the stage where we assess if someone is ready for regularization, especially with the client’s feedback and confirmation.
At D&V Philippines, feedback plays a big role in this process. We actively gather input from the client and use it as a basis for the initial assessment.
We look at different areas, such as:
Technical performance
Leadership potential
Alignment with company values
We also use a rating system, but for me, numbers are just numbers. What matters more is the feedback behind them.
What did you do well?
What can be improved?
What should you focus on next?
After the evaluation, we make sure to sit down with the staff and discuss the results. This helps them understand their performance and gives them clear direction on how to improve
If you want to grow in your role, you need to stay focused and committed.
Do what you enjoy, and take pride in your work
Stay consistent in your performance
Be mindful of your attitude and work ethics
You may be technically skilled, but if your attitude is not right, it will still affect your overall performance. At the end of the day, growth comes from balance. Skills and attitude should go hand in hand.
Early this year, we had a town hall meeting in our company, and one quote from the speaker really stayed with me:
“Sometimes the most humble people are those who have already reached the top.” – Sha Nacino
That message is simple, but it says a lot, especially for those who are just starting their careers. From the start, it’s easy to focus too much on skills and performance. But from what I’ve seen, what really makes a difference is your attitude. Technical skills can always be learned, but how you carry yourself will stay with you wherever you go.
As you grow in your career, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Stay grounded and remember where you started
Be mindful of how you treat others
Be willing to learn from different people and experiences
Another important habit is being open to improvement.
Accept feedback, even if it’s not always easy to hear
Stay adaptable, especially in a fast-paced environment
Use every experience as a way to grow
And remember, success is not just about what you know. It’s about how you continue learning, how you adapt, and how you carry yourself throughout your career.
If you’re looking for more than just a job and if you want to be part of a company that values growth, teamwork, and leadership from within, then consider joining the D&V Philippines.
You may visit our recruitment page to discover the various positions currently available within our organization. You can also download our whitepaper Employees to Partners: How D&V Philippines Invests in its People to learn about our employee-centric approach and how we can assist you in achieving your career goals.
This article has been written in collaboration with Angelica Garcia, a content specialist at D&V Philippines.